I've had a pool personally and I've sold homes with pools. Here's the deal, they are a maintenance issue. If you can afford to pay to have someone come in and do the maintenance - no worries! If you can't, then you've got to keep up on the chemicals, etc. My husband wanted to take care of our pool himself (it was his childhood dream to have a pool!) but we found several on-line sources of chemicals and equipment that made it super easy to order whatever we needed. We finally got a little robot thing that cleaned the pool all day long while we were at work, when we got home the pool was always sparkling clean!

When our kids were in school we had tons of kids at the house all the time - it was nice because we knew who our kids were hanging out with and we met a lot of parents too. Along that note - you will want to check with your homeowners insuarance for a little extra liability coverage and get the rules for pools in your area as far a fences, gates, locks etc.

Since it's a personal thing - I do think your target market might be smaller when you go to sell, but there are those (like my husband) that always dreamed of having a pool in the back yard!

In my area we have close to 6 months that a pool can be opened, so in most higher price range neighborhoods a pool is considered an asset according to an appraiser. However, dollar for dollar the cost of installing a pool is not recooped for several years.

On the flip side, if someone does not want the extra maintenance required to keep a pool up, then a listing with a pool is quite the turn off and they will not even consider looking at the house. My younger clients generally like pools, the older ones shy away.

Jo Shaner

I think the question has already been answered pretty well. But I guess I’ll through my 2 cents in. I grew up with a pool and it was great as a kid but I could care less about it later in life. On the other hand my wife grew up with a pool as well, and she loves the idea of having a pool. I have sold many homes with pools. I live in Seattle and we only have about 2-3 months of good swimming time. I would say in lesser expensive homes pools can be a negative, above ground pools are for the most part a negative. In more expensive homes it goes about 60/40 60 percent of the buyers like the ideas of a pool but aren't sure about how much work it is to have a pool. To tell you the truth nowadays pool maintenance is easy.
I have 2 pools one indoor and one outdoor. Both inground pools. I have a cool little robot I throw in the pool and it vacuums everything up as I am sitting by the pool working on Real Estate stuff and on my tan. I have an infra-red filter connected to my pump that cuts down on chemical use. So it all depends on the buyer. I sold a house last year to a buyer whose kids were active in swimming and it was a must. All depends on your buyer. I would suggest if you’re trying to sell a home with a pool. Find out all the costs it takes to maintain or to upgrade the pool to make it easy to maintain. That way you have all the true costs for having a pool, that you can easily give to a buyer and make sure they don’t accidentally over estimate the true cost.

I'm not adding a different opinion on the topic, I also think it depends on the buyer and his or her preferences. In Southern California where I grew up, pools were in high demand. The home I grew up in had a pool, my aunt's home had a pool, my other aunt's home had a pool, I could go on for days. But up here, it's generally not sought after. I personally would not want a pool just because there is too much upkeep for the few, hot, days that I would be able to use it.

However, I wouldn't mind a good compromise! Condo associations with enclosed, community pools. There are also quite a few new developments with single family homes and enclosed, community pools. The more amenities the better when it comes to developments where the buyers pay HOA dues.

It is true that a pool is either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the buyer's perception. In my experience working in Western Washington, I've only sold one home with a pool. Before selling that home however, I had 11 showings and they all turned down the home because of the pool. In our area, at least, outdoor pools seem to be a negative.

Pools are definately either a liability or an asset and dependent upon the viewpoint of the buyer. I think that sometimes it's largely a part of the weather, the neighborhood, etc. I notice that pools are an ammenity in some neighborhoods, and definately a marketing asset in others. I think the house, the grounds and the whole package in general determines the want and use of a pool to a buyer.

In all it is determinate of the house style, property value and range etc.
I say, if you want a pool get one...a home is a home because you love living in it and it is of comfort and use to you. If you sell later, it just means you are now marketing to people who like pools.

Pretty much TRUE in Portland. It tends to be a listing liability here more often than not.

False.
Investors mostly don't want pools due to higher cost and liability that is not compensated by higher rent.
Having a pool even in a hot climate is a luxury; a pool that is paired with an appropriate house is going to appeal to some higher end buyers, especially someone who has kids, or someone who has enjoyed a pool in the past. Personally, I would buy a house with a pool, but would not make it a search requirement. (My previous house 1990 -2002 had a pool. )

Nobody is False, but the buyer "pool" for homes with pools in Michigan tends to be smaller than for those without.

True & False in my experiences. Ive had buyers who have eliminated any homes that did not have a pool or ones where a pool could not be put it. Ive also had buyers who have eliminated homes with pools.

No absolute answers here, but you may find trends vary by area of the country, and the housing value range.

Where warmer weather prevails, you will find a greater number of buyers who seek pools. Where the pool season is short, fewer buyers will value it, but fewer does not mean all or none.

There are more pools in higher priced homes. A pool takes time to enjoy, time to mainain, and is an added expense. When the costs associated with the pool are less strenous on the household budget, the desire for pools increase. Again, a trend. It still comes down to personal preference.

False...Pools are great! Most homeowners wish they had a pool in their yard.

False - to say that no one wants to buy a house with a pool is an overstatement. That being said, I personally would never advise a client to put a pool in their yard unless they were doing it for their own
use, and planned to stay there for a significant amount of time. Here in the (San Francisco) East Bay area I find that my clients are very adamant about either wanting or not wanting a pool. There doesn't seem to be a middle ground with buyers. Those who do not want a pool feel very strongly about it.
Those who do want a pool are willing to go without if they like the house, or are willing to put one in provided there is a spot for it. Therefore, if I had to lean one way or the other, I'd say it is more of a liability
than an asset.

This thread could last forever... A pool is a personal preference--with financial, safety, maintenance and liability concerns; but there are definable regional trends. The best advice comes from Greg Perry, who appears to be the only REALTOR to serve your specific locale.

Hi Meg. The answer is T and F. Where you will find your answer is in the next question? Who does your house appeal to? You will find out a lot of information by asking yourself that question. Not everyone has the means or the ability to properly maintain a pool and if you are trying to capture a market where that is the case then you may want to think again. If you are trying to increase the value of your home by doing projects around the house, there are less expensive and less risky ways of doing it.

Hi Meg,
I'm a King County Realtor. For the most part, pools are not considered a positive in W. Washington, especially in the lower price ranges. Our weather is so moderate, by and large, that most Buyers see pools as a liability. On the other hand, a pool may be a benefit in an upscale property. You might consider having a Realtor look at your specific situation to determine the value of a pool on your property.

It really just depends on the neighborhood and area. I don't think it is as easy as T or F. I think for any feature or location you'll find people who do and people who don't. I don't like corner lots, but I have clients who prefer them. I like small yards, but there are people who like condos so they don't have a yard and people who want at least 5 acres. Some of my clients would not dream of living in a house without a pool, some wouldn't buy a house with a pool. To each his/her own.

Hey Meg,

When I am marketing a particular property as a listing agent, it is part of my job to advertise the property to the largest number of the buying public as possible (i.e. appeal to the masses). Inevitiably, some families particularly those with small children will perceive a home with a pool as a liability because of the possible drowning risks associated with owning one. Then, there are the issues with maintenance, chemical costs, repairs and upkeep of a pool. I frequently learn or hear about homeowners who back-fill their pools because of these factors.

I'd say, that if you are considering the addition of a pool and you're planning to stay a while, go for it and enjoy it. Just be prepared that you will likely not realize a dollar-for-dollar return on the investment at the time of future sale and that some home buyers may pass on considering your home for the reasons noted above.

It is truly hit or miss. In some case, like here in Georgia, you can get more money for a home with a pool than without, BUT you'll do it with fewer showings. The reason is that people who want pools will want to look for one. In Georgia, in ground pools are very rare. So when a buyer finds one, they are willing to pay a premium.

I could see pools being a detriment if they are common.

True and False! What one buyer wants another may not. There was a question posted earlier where the buyer is looking for ONLY properties with a pool.

While I have never seen a survey on this particular question - I would assume the percentage of pro or con would be pretty even. Good luck!

While I am not familiar with the current buyer trends in Washington State I can speak from my own experience.

I sell real estate in the high country of Arizona where the climate is much more moderate than Phoenix and other communities that are much warmer. Here, I have had clients who will not ever buy a home with a pool because they feel that they won't use it and the maintenance will ruin them. On the other hand, I have had clients who only want a pool or to know for a fact that they can put one in.

It is truly a preference thing.

-Nate